west coast love

Today, we're headed off on a west coast adventure. At least once a year, we take a pilgrimage to the other side of the country to trek along the West Coast. 

Over the years, we've managed to visit Colorado, Alaska, California twice, Washington state, and even an unexpected epic trip through Utah together. We love showing the west coast a little love and are excited to be headed back there today. This time, we're planning to road trip our way through Nevada, California, and Arizona. So with the west coast on our minds and in our hearts, I thought I'd share just a few of the things we love about it most. 

The Attitude
My views tend to be on the more liberal side of things so I'm in love with the general attitude of the people here. I may live in the Southern US where down home hospitality is a virtue, but I'm a big fan of the true acceptance practiced along the west coast. 

Rainforests to Beaches to Desserts
From ice glacier fields to rainforests to deserts, the west coast has the most unique mix and we love them all. We are big fans of living life outdoors, so I cannot get over the fact that you can basically experience all of these amazing climates in one region. 

The Food
The west coast has its fair share of not so good for you foods (ahem! In-and-Out Burger), but overall the food always seems so authentic and healthy. 

The National Parks
Much of the west coast is untouched and has been so well preserved and protected. It's no secret around here that we love our national parks and want to visit them all. Most of the country's national parks are clustered along the west coast and we've got some big ones in mind for this trip. 

Having lived on the east coast our entire lives, we've been to every state along the Eastern Seaboard and beyond. But I'm glad that we have found the value in visiting other parts of our country and are slowly making our way through the west coast too.